Once the home of Costanoan Indians and then part of the lands of Mission San Jose, Union City began developing in the 1850's when farmers and traders settled in the area. The village grew around a general store established by Henry Smith.

Its industrial future was established when it became the site of the first successful beet sugar mill, a natural outgrowth of the farming community. Low transportation costs, because of nearby Alvarado Dock on Alameda Creek, made it a significant shipping port for the area’s produce.

In 1959, the towns of Alvarado and Decoto combined to form Union City. Today, the community is composed of industrial parks, inviting resi-dential areas and commercial development.

In 1998-99, more than 3,000 new homes were built. Also, an 80-acre shopping center opened with a 25-screen theater complex, a hotel and more than a dozen restaurants. Union City also has its own bus service, UC Transit, which connects to AC Transit and BART.

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http://www.acta2002.com/WHAT_IS_ACTIA/WhatIsACTIA.html
[Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority]